Rail-joint



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

HIRAM KIMBALL, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,191, dated November 8, 1881.

` Application tiled March 5, 1881. (No model.)

1o joints, in which the ends of the rails are made to meet between two ties instead of on a tie; and the objects of my improvements are: rst, teso connect and support the ends of the rails as to give the track at the joints as nearly as possible the qualities of a continuous rail; second, to furnish a splice for the joint of such form that the head of the rail may be given the form that will wear the longest regardless of bearings for fish-plates third, to give the bottom ofthe rail ends independent support from bearings on the ties instead of supporting the end-of one rail by clamping it to the other, and at the same time to give an increased area of bearings on the ties at the joints without placing metal between rails and ties, or sinking the ties to allow placing supports under the rails or perforating the railsii'or bolts; fourth, to make such supports to the ends of the rails adjustable, so that any wear on the bearings may be taken up and the joint giveny the desired degree of firmness; fifth, to obtain the foregoing advantages without the use of bolts, nuts, or screws. I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section at the middle of the joint; Fig. 2, a side view, and Fig. 3 a top view, ot' the joint with the head of the rails cut off.

Similarletters referto the same parts throughout all the views.

The ends of the rails A A are supported on the bottom by a chair or splice,-B B C D, which rests on the ties T T by bearings on either side of but not under the rails, and also bears on the tops of the ilanges of the rails over the ties by the lips b b b b, and' between the ties extends down and under the ends of the rails.

I prefer to make the chair in parts, substantially as shown, as being most conveniently made and applied. The two parts B B may be bolted together or held, as shown in the drawings, by the clamp D. The key C serves to adjust the tension of the joint and to take up the wear.

It is obvious that the chair may be madein one piece instead of in parts,ias shown, in which case it would have to be applied by slid ingon the end ofthe rail. It is also obvious that the chair may rest entirely on the bearings on the ties, or entirely on the bearings on the flanges ofthe rail, and still retain many of the advantages of my invention.

I Vam aware of devices in which parts of the rail have been cut away and the chair made to till up the space removed, and having parts extending under the bottom of the rail.- My object is to effect a firm joint without intertering with or modifying the joint at the tread.

I am also aware that the rails ends have been supported on the bottom by extensions of plates or splices bolted to the web of the rail, and I do not claim, broadly, the support of the joint by a chair extending under lthe endl of the rail, except in the manner substantially as described.

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

l. A rail-joint chair orsplice in one or more pieces, resting on bearings on the ties on the sides of but not under the rails, or on bearings on the anges of the rails over the ties, or on both, and ,between the ties extending down and under the ends of the rails, the whole being arranged below the tread oi' the rails, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a rail-joint chair or splice, the bars B B, bearing on theties on the sides of but not under the rails, or on the llanges of the rails over the ties, or on both, and between the ties extending down so as to carry plates crossing under and supporting the ends ot' the rails, substantially as described. l

3. In combination with the bars B B, the clamp-plate D, crossing under the rails and holding the bars B Bin position, substantially as described.

4. In combination with the bars B B, the key C, crossing under the rails, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A rail-joint chair composed of the bars B B, clamp' D, and key C, substantially asdescribed.

HIEAM KIMBALL.

Attest:

T. W. FAaNswoRrH, JOHN B. BENTON.

roo 

